NCAA/OBR interp please

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by Rich Ives

It wasn't a fake to first - F1 threw the ball to first. What F3 does with the ball after that doesn't matter. No balk.

I agree. Think of it this way: the restriction applies to the pitcher, not F3. So ask: did F1 step and throw to 1B? If so, then he's met the restriction and no balk. It doesn't matter what F3 does with the ball after it's thrown.

JK describes a version of this play that WOULD be a balk, where F1 throws over and F3 is not near enough to 1B at the time of the throw. That's a balk because it fails to meet the restriction on F1, not because of anything F3 did.